North Sea 24 Information, Review, Specs

The North Sea 24 emerged from the drawing board of Kim Holman, a prolific and influential English designer known for his elegant and practical yacht designs, often characterized as cruiser/racers. The North Sea 24 was a significant design for Holman, representing one of his most famous creations. His philosophy for vessels in this size range focused on creating boats that were both capable performers and comfortable cruisers, often incorporating what was considered a "speedy hull design" for its era.

The primary builder, J. W. and A. Upham Ltd. of Brixham, England, commenced construction of the North Sea 24 in 1963. Upham, operating from 1817 until 1984, had a long-standing reputation for traditional wooden boat construction, particularly known for its durable fishing trawlers. This heritage meant that the North Sea 24 benefited from a strong emphasis on strength, seaworthiness, and practicality, built with robust timber. While Upham crafted many of these vessels in wood, the model also saw variations; some twenty-six units were notably built in epoxy composite iroko strip-plank by Carabela in Spain before being transported to the UK. The success and design principles of the North Sea 24 were so influential that later fiberglass models, such as the Rustler 31 and Rustler 36, are considered direct descendants.

Sailing Performance and Handling

The North Sea 24, with its long keel and transom-hung rudder, is designed for directional stability and a comfortable motion, rather than outright racing speed. Its design characteristics contribute to a predictable and reassuring feel at sea.

• Sail Area to Displacement Ratio (SA/D): With a reported sail area of 437 sq ft and a displacement of 12,900 lbs, the North Sea 24 has a Sail Area to Displacement ratio of approximately 12.68. This low ratio indicates a relatively heavy boat for its sail area, suggesting it will be less lively in very light winds but will carry its sail well and maintain a steady course in moderate to heavier conditions.
• Ballast to Displacement Ratio (B/D): The vessel features approximately 4,127.69 lbs of iron ballast, resulting in a Ballast to Displacement ratio of around 32.0%. This moderate ratio, combined with its heavy displacement and long keel, contributes to a stable platform capable of standing up to a decent amount of wind.
• Displacement to Length Ratio (D/L): The North Sea 24 has a Displacement to Length ratio of approximately 416.59. This very high number unequivocally places it in the category of a heavy, traditional displacement cruiser. It prioritizes seaworthiness, comfortable motion in a seaway, and robust construction over planing ability or light-air acceleration.

Overall, the North Sea 24 is consistently described as a steady, reliable, and capable boat for making good passages. Its long keel design inherently provides excellent directional stability, a quality highly valued by cruisers for offshore comfort.

Accommodations and Layout

While specific detailed measurements for headroom are not readily available, the interior of the North Sea 24 is generally described as providing four berths. The layout is noted to be somewhat unorthodox, which often implies a unique use of space that might offer surprising functionality or distinct areas for different uses. Given its traditional wooden construction by Upham, it is reasonable to infer that the interior would have featured classic marine finishes, likely incorporating wood trim and a practical, robust feel consistent with the builder's heritage of crafting seaworthy vessels. Further details regarding the precise arrangement of a galley, head, or salon areas would require specific boat plans or owner-contributed information.